Wrong-way multiplex
From Freepedia
Image:Wrongway-multiplex.png A wrong-way multiplex occurs in highway numbering systems when two roads, nominally going in opposite directions, are routed in the same direction along one stretch of road. Although logically consistent, such signage often leads to confusion among motorists. Further aggravating the bewilderment of travelers is the fact that the road itself is likely to be actually pointed in yet a third direction.
Wrong-way multiplexes include:
- (Formerly) A stretch of the Yankee Division Highway, a loop around Boston, Massachusetts. The southernmost portion of the loop proceeds east from the intersection of I-95 south (going to Providence, Rhode Island) to the intersection of I-93 north (proceeding into downtown Boston) and MA Route 3 from Plymouth, Massachusetts and Cape Cod. Because the route provides a connection from I-95 to the portion of I-93 that enters Boston, the route is signed I-93 North. At the same time, the entire loop was signed as MA Route 128, which proceeded to this point from its northern terminus in Rockport, Massachusetts. Since travelers would reach this point in the loop primarily by driving south, the route continued to be signed Route 128 South. The result was a stretch of highway, proceeding east, marked as I-93 North and MA 128 South. In 1997, the Route 128 designation was removed from this portion of the highway, so this wrong-way multiplex no longer occurs (except among locals who still call the highway Route 128).
- Another, more recent, wrong-way multiplex on the same highway continues to exist immediately west of this stretch. In 1989, U.S. Highway 1 was relocated to follow I-95 and I-93 into Boston. The I-95 portion of this concurrency proceeding east is marked as US-1 North, I-95 South and MA 128 South. Further north, in Burlington, the highway has yet another short wrong-way multiplex. U.S. Highway 3 is a freeway north of Route 128 (though locals call freeways "expressways" in New England). The originally planned freeway to the south was cancelled in 1970, so US-3 South takes a short jog on Route 128 and I-95 North (travelling east-northeast) to get back to its original alignment.
- A section of the Trans-Canada Highway within Kamloops is signed as BC 1 East, BC 97 South, and BC 5 North. It is the only wrong-way multiplex in the province of British Columbia.
- A section of the Eastshore Freeway in Richmond, Berkeley, Emeryville, and Oakland California is signed as I-80 and I-580 in opposite directions.
- Less famous but no less confusing is the I-77/I-81 wrong-way multiplex in southwestern Virginia, which is simultaneously North 81 and South 77. In the 80s and early 90s, this section was particularly confusing due to poor (almost nonexistent) signage, but this problem was remedied around 1996. Additionally, U.S. Highway 21 and U.S. Highway 11 are wrong-way multiplexed along this section of highway.
- In Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a 7.3-mile (11.8-km) section of the Great Smoky Mountains Parkway is a wrong-way multiplex of US 321 and US 441. (Further confusing things, Tennessee State Route 71 and State Route 73 are also multiplexed along that section.)
- Also near the Smoky Mountains, US 411 and US 441 are wrong-way multiplexed between Seymour and Sevierville. Although the routes are north-south, this segment travels close to due east-west. The similarity of the route numbers further confuses things.
- A short stretch of the US 10 freeway around Waupaca, Wisconsin contains a wrong-way multiplex of north-south Wisconsin state routes 22 and 49, as well as state route 54. There is one set of route markers in each direction; traveling west, the highway is marked as US 10 West, WI 22 South, WI 49 North and WI 54 West.
- A short stretch of the main road through Midlothian, Texas contains a wrong-way multiplex of north-south highways U.S. Highway 287 south and the business route of U.S. Highway 67; as expected, while multiplexed the road travels east-west.
- A stretch of north-south highways Interstate 530 and U.S. Highway 65 near Pine Bluff, Arkansas is wrong-way multiplexed with north-south highways U.S. Highway 63 and U.S. Highway 79, all the while traveling east-west.
- A short stretch of the main road through Stuttgart, Arkansas contains a wrong-way multiplex of north-south highways U.S. Highway 165 south and U.S. Highway 79 as of August 2005; however, a bypass around the northeast portion of the city will reroute 165 and, thus, the wrong-way multiplex will disappear into the annals of history.
- In North Cobb County, Georgia, a wrong-way multiplex is made up of U.S. Highway 41 North and Georgia S.R. 92 South.
